


Dotting the I's

by Megidork



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, Lesbian Character, Pen Pals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2016-01-20
Packaged: 2018-04-20 03:30:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4771799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megidork/pseuds/Megidork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Lalonde's teacher had finally convinced her to join a pen pals program. For a while she has been writing to a girl named Kanaya Maryam that she has never seen before. Now Rose is moving from her childhood home. She continues to write to her friend, but is the address closer than when it was before. Who is this Kanaya?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Puzzle Peices

**Author's Note:**

> Augh, It's been so long since I've written really anything. Rosemary is the otp, so eventually i was going to end up spewing out fanfics. Blah blah, everyone's human. Please use constructive critisicms, I'm out of my element, this is not my normal writing style. I try to write some lesbian stuff and hope people like it. This is Megidork. And this message was basically pointless.

When Rose’s language arts teacher told her about the pen pals program her school was setting up, Rose had simply asked “Why does this concern me?” “Well, your works are very interesting. Unique. I would think you should share them with someone other than my gradebook.” Her teacher had replied. After a few minutes of nagging the young Lalonde had given in. Her teacher promised to sign her up right away. Rose Lalonde recalled these moments as her purple pen glided across the paper.

==>

A week after I had given into my teacher’s request, a letter came in the mail for me. A green envelope addressed to my name, it’s still on my desk. “Dear Rose,” It begins, “At Least, They Have Told Me Your Name Is Rose. I Am Kanaya And I Have Been Paired With You For The Pen Pals Program Our Schools Have Set Up For Us To Partake In.” At first, you had been a little irked by this girl’s capitalization of all of her words, but you had grown used to it. “Let Us Hope This Is Not Torturous And We Enjoy Each Other’s Letters. Sincerely, Kanaya Maryam.” The letter had ended, short and formal. That is how the first few exchanges of letters went, and then gradually you two became closer and more comfortable with writing to each other.

Conversations went from fancy introductions to more personal matters. Every day I came home and checked the mailbox, eagerly awaiting a new letter from my pen pal. Today I started a new letter, a letter with things I felt I could only tell Kanaya. I had never had many friends in New York, being a loner was as the job entailed, lonely. “Kanaya,” I start, writing down her name with the comfort of doing it many times before. “Today my mother has announced we are moving, away from all I have ever known here. I grew up here, I do not want to leave. She says we are moving because my sister Roxy has received a college scholarship and my mother has obtained a job in this new town as well. As you can see, I was not thought of in these plans. While I write to you, my walls are now barren of all decoration and my entire life until now is being packed into boxes, I am not sure of my new address yet but I shall write to you when I know it. Don’t forget me, Rose.” I signed it, folding up the paper and sliding it into an envelope. Sealing the envelope and writing out Kanaya’s address made you feel better. At least something was a constant in my life, I could always count on Kanaya. I walked out of the house, into the brisk wind. I put the letter into the mailbox, the mailbox that would soon no longer be mine, I reminded myself.

I walked back inside and sighed, Roxy and my mother were moving more boxes, reminding me that I was leaving later. “Look at it this way Rose, at least we’re moving before the school year starts, so you don’t have to join school in the middle of the year.” Roxy said, setting her boxes down besides the door. “I know, I know,” I said. “The big old make new friends shtick. I know it.” My mother gave me a pointed look and motion to her boxes. I walked back to my room, boxes towered over me, and my mother had told me to start moving them out. The moving van was coming later today and we had to get it loaded. I stretched tape over folds, wrote my name in sharpie, and stuffed things into spaces they normally wouldn't fit. Soon everything I ever was inside ugly cardboard boxes.

“ROSE IT’S HERE” Roxy’s voice called. of course she was excited, she was going to college, where everybody was new. I was going to public school where everyone already had groups of friends and cliques and standards and here I was showing up out of the blue. A new shiny piece to an age old puzzle that just didn't fit in the one space left. Thumping on the stairs alerted me that I hadn't even tried to move boxes and Roxy was sprinting up the stairs to come and help. She all but kicked down the door, and began taking boxes away.

I helped too, picking up smaller boxes and fitting them into the back of the van my mother had rented for the move. After all of you and all of your belongings had piled into the van, my mother started the engine and rolled down the road. I tried to resist the urge to turn back and look back at the house, but the urge was overruled and I twisted in my seat, looking back at the place that held my entire childhood. The three of you traveled for a few days, hotels and fast food drive thru’s became a daily routine. After a while, it became easy to fall asleep in the van, the bumps of potholes were barely registered as my head lolled against the window as I dozed off once again.

==>

Someone was shaking me violently by the shoulders, still half asleep, my body struck out. The shaking stopped and I opened my eyes. “Rose, did you just SLAP ME?” Roxy asked, holding her cheek. “Sorry.” I mumbled, opening the door and sliding out of the van. I now stood in my new driveway, I looked around. There were a few houses surrounding us but anywhere there were no buildings was grassy and kind of overgrown in some places. You heard screams and laughter but saw no one around, coming to the conclusion that it was coming from someone’s backyard. What I did see is a girl come around from the back of a house, a green bikini on. We both stared at each other for a while from across the street, until she shook her head and hurried back around to the back of the house. “Rose come help unpack!” Roxy called, waving wildly at the boxes marked with my handwriting. I shrugged, forgetting the girl and began picking up boxes and lugging them one by one into the new house.


	2. School of Hell and Loneliness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UGH I'm sorry this took so long but school started, I had computer problems AND i had the entire written chapter which disappeared the night beforeI was going to post it.

The last few days of summer had passed, and all I had unpacked were my basic needs and what was on the school supply list. Since I had moved so late in the summer, I had missed school orientation. I made the decision to stop by the office in the morning before class. I had printed my schedule and a map off of the school website. Roxy had left a day or two ago for college, and I was left alone in the house. I had decided to write to Kanaya again to give her the new address.

“Hey Kanaya, I’ve moved. I’m sitting in this new and empty disgusting house.  School starts soon so that will be undoubtedly torturous. I wish I was back in New York. From, Rose.” It was short and sweet; I hadn’t been in the mood to write out paragraphs like usual. I had included my new address in the letter, so we could continue to write to each other. The only thing I considered nice about my situation was that I was within walking distance of the school, so I was not crammed onto a bus with a bunch of smelly, sweaty assholes.

As I walked along my route, a sleek car drove past me, I saw what I thought was a waving hand but quickly brushed it off. I wasn’t really in the mood for waves. When I finally reached the school, the buses were just starting to let off the kids. Waves of students poured out of the yellow buses, pushing and shoving to get inside the school building. After squeezing through the doors, I quickly darted into the room marked Office. I walked up to one of the secretary’s desks, she looked up at me over the rims of her glasses. She looked like she didn’t want to be there, well, that made two of us.

“Do you need something?” She asked. “Yes, I just moved here, and I have no idea what to do.” I stated plainly, no use in stuttering. “Rose Lalonde?” She asked. I nodded. “The student council elected a guide for you, she’s over there.” The bored secretary said, pointing into a waiting room. I strolled into the room, sitting patiently in a chair was a chubby girl with a lot of hair. “Are you Rose?” She asked, in a voice where you could basically hear smiley emoticons. “Yes.” I replied, straightening my bag. “I’m your guide! My name is Feferi!” She said. She seemed to punctuate everything with exclamation points.

“Lemme sea your schedule!” She said, holding out a hand. Fish puns. The girl made fish puns, I dug the schedule I had printed out of my bag and placed it into her open palm. She held it close to her face, examining it closely like it could lead her to the secrets of the universe itself. “Hmm, okay, seems you were lucky and got hooked into classes all near each other!” She observed, I shrugged. She looked up and squinted at me, examining my hair and features, “You said you just moved here, right?” She asked, suspicion leaking into her voice. I nodded, I thought we were already past this? “I don’t know, some family moved in across the street from me.” She said, turning back to look at my schedule. “I don’t know, were you having a pool party going on?” I asked, thinking back to the girl who looked like she had just gotten out of the water. “Yes! I did have some fronds over yesterday!” “Yes, well I did overhear some laughing and did witness someone in a swimsuit.” I added quietly. “You DO live across from me!” She almost screamed, and quickly squished me into a hug.

She quickly calmed down though, to give me a last message. “Class is going to start soon, your locker is over there,” She pointed at one of the dented blue lockers lining the walls. “And your first class is down that hallway, I’ll meet you there after it ends, just wait for me, okay?” I gave a nod, signaling I understood and she turned and bounced off to what I assumed to be her first class. A round of monotonous teachers that I more or less paid attention to blended together throughout my day. I found that, by sheer luck, my lunch had no one that I knew in it. Which was just Feferi but it still was disappointing.

The only class I ever seemed to excel at was Language Arts, I had a gift for being able to read and write at a high level, which did make me a bit off putting to others. My habit off using high level words did make it hard to understand me sometimes, but I really did not care. When the day finally ended, I let myself be carried by the swarm of people rushing to get out the doors.

I trudged back to my house, almost getting lost along the way as I was still getting used to actually walking to school. I wasn’t even at my door before I heard the pattering of Feferi’s flats as she sprinted across the cement separating out houses. “Rose!” She called, catching up to me. “I’ve got a few of my gill fronds over for a swim and I was wonderfin if you wanted to jump in the pool with us?” She asked. “Sure.” I replied, for lack of better excuse. Curse the first week of school that yielded no homework for me to stop socializing. “I’ll find a swimsuit.” I replied, pushing the door open to the house, it swung before it hit some boxes and I had to squeeze in with my backpack. “Just come around to my backyard!” Feferi said, before skipping back to her house, shedding her clothing to reveal a swimsuit underneath. I dropped my backpack besides the door, and then stomped up the stairs. I tore through a few boxes until I finally found an old swimsuit that I had held onto. I don’t know why I did, it was bright orange. I changed into it, and then walked across the road to Feferi’s house.


	3. Chapter 3

This swimsuit was garish, standing out against my pale skin. I walked across the neatly manicured grass of Feferi’s front yard in my sandals. Towel in hand, I turned and followed the edge of the house as it curved around to a white fence in the back. Unlatching the gate and pushing it open, letting it swing back and almost flinching when it slammed against the fence.

  
I felt warm white cement beneath my feet. Looking around, I saw a large pool with lawn chairs set up in perfect symmetry, each complete with large sun umbrellas and side tables. I heard a gasp and turned to see Feferi emerge from underwater. Her pink goggles slung around her neck and her long hair plastered back from its wetness.  
She heaved her upper body onto the edge of the pool. “Hi Rose! Sorry but the other’s haven’t gotten here yet, they’re still coming, you’re just closest, across the road and all, so you’re early!” She explained. “Just clam a chair and you can jump in the pool with me or just hang out.” She said. I set my purple towel down slowly on the nearest chair, spreading it out so none of my body had to touch the hot plastic. I kicked off my sandals and scooted them under the chair. I walked over to the pool, my feet slapping against the cement.

  
I kneeled beside the pool, slowly descending the lower part of my legs into the refreshingly cool water. I kicked my legs back and forth, getting used to the change in temperature. Out of nowhere there was a sudden tug on my lug and I almost pitched forward into the pool. Feferi popped up, giggling. “Sorry Rose! You kinda zoned out! Just wanted to tell you someone’s here!” She piped, clambering out of the pool to greet the girl who was standing outside the gates. Feferi pushed the gate and let the girl in, she quickly dumped all that was in her arms on a chair. “Rose, this is Aradia. Aradia, Rose.” Feferi said quickly, gesturing between me and Aradia. Aradia walked up to me, her long hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail.  
She wore a dark red two piece swimsuit. The top portion was tank top-esque with a brighter red decal on the front. The bottoms were more of a boy shorts style than the traditional bikini bottoms. “Hello.” She greeted, before slipping right into the pool. I followed suit and pushed myself in slowly. The water was up to my waist, I held my arms up above it while I hopped up and down a bit, trying to get used to the cold. I slowly lowered my arms in and knelt down so my shoulders were under the water as well.

  
While I was wading around, another girl arrived. She was introduced as Vriska and was so eager to get into the pool she cannonballed in still wearing her cargo shorts. “There’s still one more gill coming.” Feferi assured. Aradia and Vriska had started a violent splash fight in the corner of the pool and Feferi was gliding around underwater. I rested against the pool wall, keeping my head above water by hoisting my arms onto the cement to support me. “School is so tiring.” Vriska drawled, retiring from her splash war with Aradia. “My third hour actually gave me homework, can you believe it?” She complained.

  
Feferi gave a good natured snort of laughter and Aradia looked like she was contemplating rolling her eyes. At that moment there was a prim rapping against the wood of the gate. The gate swung open. I turned my head but couldn’t get a good look for my current position was not primed for looking behind me. What I saw was a towel folded evenly over a bent arm. A deep green one-piece swimsuit. I lifted my arms off the cement and turned fully so I could get a good look at the mystery girl.  
She had short hair that was cut into a styled pixie cut. She laid her towel on an empty chair and stepped into pool, walking down the submerged stairs. “Kanny, nice timing!” Vriska called, notifying the girl of her tardiness. She shot Vriska a smirk and now stood in chest deep water. “Rose this is-“ Feferi started, but was cut off by the shrill sound of the ringtone from my phone. I quickly clambered ungracefully out of the pool and rushed to my phone.

  
I clicked to accept the call and then came the worried voice of my mother. “Mom, calm. Down.” I said, hoping to pacify her. “Where are you?! I came home and you aren’t here.” She said. “Mother, I am across the street, with a girl I met at school.” I said, my annoyed tone seeming to mollify her. “Oh, you’re making friends, that’s wonderful!” She said, now calm. “Mother.” I said with warning in my voice. “As happy as I am for you, you need to come home immediately.” She said. “Fine.” I grunted, quickly ending the call. “Sorry, gotta go.” I said to the girls in the pool. A few goodbyes were called as I collected everything I had brought over and stomped back over across the road to my house.

  
After discarding my array of objects by the door, I yelled “MOM!” Letting it echo through the house as I waited for my mother’s reply. “In the basement!” Came the reply after a little bit. I trudged down the stairs, and made my way through the basement. “Look at this!” My mother said, gesturing wildly to something. I moved to get a good look around her. Apparently, in the clutter of this new basement, my mother had unearthed a typewriter. It was old and dusty, but looked like it still might work. “It’s a typewriter.” I said, stating the obvious. “I know! I was thinking you might want it.” My mother said. “This was the emergency?” I asked, kind of let down. “This and you need to unpack your room.” My mother clarified. I groaned, picking up the typewriter and slumming off to my bedroom.

  
I set the artifact primly on my bed and went to sorting the paraphernalia out of my boxes and into my room. I left a special empty spot on my desk for the precious typewriter. When I deemed myself done, I started a new letter to Kanaya. After a few written words in pencil, I decided to try the typewriter. I enjoyed the clacking of the keys as I punched out a letter to my dear pen pal.

  
_Dear Kanaya,_

  
_This town is nice, but I still long for New York. Although it is new to see an actual sky. One of the good points of moving I guess, is that I walk to school instead of having to ride a bus like back in New York. I met a girl, well, she was my guide. Her name was Feferi, if that means anything. I was over at her house in her pool before my mother made me return to home. Apparently she had found this typewriter, the one I am using to write to you now. It is quite thrilling to be typing such menial things on a precious artifact. I hope you are enjoying what your school has to offer you._

  
_Sincerely, Rose_

  
I ripped the paper from the tray and tucked it into an envelope. Marking Kanaya’s address onto the back and pasting on a stamp, I sent it away to the mailbox.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you may have picked up by now, I cannot fish pun to save my life. I apologize if Feferi's character is a bit downplayed by that. It is fun to write this, maybe because I'm overly passionate about Rosemary. I hope you all like it.


	4. Chapter 4

Another night in a still strange bed, another day waking up to a still strange room. Another day strangely putting on familiar garments and eating breakfast in a still strange house. The loneliness from having Roxy gone is starting to finally get to me. I am painstakingly aware of her not sitting next to me at the breakfast table. I guess I had just never noticed how empty everything was without her brightening up everyone’s lives.   
I mechanically devoured my breakfast, shooed a few stray hairs into place and retrieved my backpack from where I had left it by the front door. With a wave to my mother as she left for work I began my own journey down the sidewalk to the hellish prison they called school. The day continued much like the first, lunch finally came and I assumed my position alone at the end of a table.  
As I chewed at my sandwich, suddenly a pair of hands was slammed down on the table in front of me, making me jump. It was Vriska, looking down on me. “I didn’t know you had this lunch, you should have told me before you skipped out on us yesterday.” She said. I turned my head away, remembering sprinting back to my house. I didn’t even give the girl who had arrived late the grace of introducing herself.  
I shrugged, not saying the words to an apology. Vriska wrapped her hand around the handle of my lunchbox, “You’re sitting with us.” She declared, walking away with my lunch. I stood up and followed awkwardly. Vriska had tossed the lunch bag down next to where she was now eating a plate of the steaming hot lunch. I slid into the seat, fidgeting around without knowing what to do. “Rose, I got some new people for you to meet.” Vriska said, leaning forward on the table.  
“That’s Terezi, she’s one of my sisters.” Vriska explained, pointing to a girl that did look like Vriska, she wore red tinted glasses and was poking at her lunch. She did spare me a wave before Vriska continued. “This is Tavros, and Dave, Aradia, but you know her, Jade, And the rest of us are in the other lunch.” She rambled on, pointing to each kid in turn. A shy looking boy, a boy wearing his aviators inside, Aradia, and a girl with unruly dark hair and circular glasses. “Oh!” Vriska exclaimed. “I almost forgot one last person.” Vriska giggled, then reached over and jerked the sleeve on a girl who seemed to be thoroughly in her book. “Hey, wake up!” Vriska joked. “Rose, this is Kanaya, Kanaya, this is Rose.” Vriska said, gesturing between us.  
Kanaya promptly dropped her book and it slapped against the floor. I sat frozen, suddenly Kanaya jumped up. “Rose?” She almost screamed, leaning precariously over the table. “Kanaya?” I asked, stepping back from the table. “You two know each other or something?” Terezi questioned, looking between us inquisitively. “Pen pal program?” I whispered, Kanaya gave a slow, shocked nod. “Oh…god.” I gasped, my face flushed red, as I recalled all of the personal issues I had written to her complaining about.  
“Is there something we’re missing?” Vriska commented, Kanaya and us both stared at her with wide eyes. “Oh god.” I repeated again. “We are pen pals in the pen pal program being run nationwide, and I guess, we never gave much thought into actually meeting.” Kanaya spouted off nervously. Everyone at the table burst into raucous laughter. Kanaya shot an awkward, toothy smile at me and I looked away. I sat back down, facing the opposite way of Kanaya, my head in my hands.  
“I did not sign up for this.” I muttered. Vriska patted me on the back, “Heh, guess you knew at least one of us before you got here.” She joked. I looked up again, and got a good look at Kanaya. She had short, curling hair, was wearing longer sleeves even though it was still technically summer, and everything about her was prim and perfect. Even her slack-jawed surprised expression looked good. By now we were causing a bit of a commotion in the lunch room, more than a few heads had swiveled to stare at us.  
Kanaya sat back down, looking like she was painfully aware of the attention we were attracting. Vriska flipped a few people whose gaze lingered on our table, and returned to the conversation. “Rose.” Kanaya said quietly, I leaned forwards. “I hope that we can still write to each other, it was greatly enjoyable.” She proposed, I nodded. “Yeah.” I answered quietly, sophisticated words escaping me. Kanaya seemed to get the conversation back on track. “So you got a typewriter?” She asked nonchalantly, mentioning the last letter I had sent her.  
“Really?” Terezi asked, “Aren’t those those really old computers in the labs?” Vriska burst into laughter and I followed suit with a round of giggles. “What?” Terezi asked, clearly confused. Kanaya quickly whispered in her ear, whipping out her phone, no doubt showing Terezi what a typewriter was. “Oh!” Terezi exclaim, now understanding. “Where’d ya get one of those?” She asked. “In the new basement, my mom dug it out.” I said.  
“Did you guys know she lives literally right across from Feferi?” Vriska butted in. A few of them gasped. “Really?” Kanaya questioned, raising a manicured eyebrow. “Yes, she also was very helpful to me on my first day, being elected to be my guide and all.” I said. “How lucky, me and Terezi have to walk like, a mile, to get to her house. And she’s the only one who has a pool.” Vriska complained, flopping on top of the table. Suddenly the deafening sound of hundreds of pairs of feet leaving the lunchroom reached my ears. I guess lunch was dismissed.  
I quickly gathered my things, Kanaya gave me a short wave before sprinting out herself. I watched her leave, then fell into step with the rest of the crowd, and eventually found my way out of the cafeteria. On to the rest of the day.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been so long since I've written anything, I have to get back into it. Sorry for such a long wait! I hope you enjoy

Now that I was paying painful attention to who was in my classes, I realized I was less alone than I had previously thought. The others I had just been introduced to me just earlier seemed to be everywhere, but alas, Kanaya made no appearances in any of my classes. As the day ended, I postponed my departure until the crowds had dispersed.

I pushed my way out of the glass doors, intent on walking home as always. Suddenly, I was hit from behind. When my surprised head whipped around, I was greeted to the grinning face of Feferi Peixes. “Rose, come on, ride home with me.” She said, already starting to tug me towards the limo pulled up along the curb. I gave up trying to protest and slipped into the seat besides Feferi.

As soon as the long car began to roll out of the school parking lot, Feferi had whipped out her phone. “I’m giving everyone your number, what is it?” She asked, pursing her lips as she fiddled around her phone. She drummed her nails on her fuchsia phone case as she waited for me to pull out my own phone. I begrudgingly extracted my own phone and slowly pulled up my number, and then handed the phone to her.

“I don’t see why this is so urgent.” I whispered, mostly to myself. Feferi seemed to have heard, “We’re all friends, we all need ways to communicate.” She explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the universe. I was a bit surprised, friends. So that’s what we were, this new place is filled with tons of new experiences.

I couldn’t help it, memories of my old home in New York came flooding back, overtaking all of my current thoughts. My phone had always been void of many contacts. Nothing really bothered me much, the people I really cared about didn’t even go to the same school as me. I was always the one kid everyone thought was weird, the one who never received the birthday invitations, the kid who sat alone at the lunch table. I had grown so used to it, I kind of missed it.

The feeling of having people sit comfortably on either side of me in a lunchroom was new, but vaguely comforting. Now the knowledge that my phone number would be in someone else’s phone, other than my mother and sisters, was a bit exhilarating. But also terrifying, why didn’t I resist this more? The time came when Feferi finally placed my phone back into my hands, and the expensive car slowed to a crawl, preparing to stop.

When the car did stop, my bag was over my shoulder and out the door before Feferi could even say goodbye. I dumped my belongings in to their usual spot by the door and placed my phone on the recently cleared countertop. I watched it out of the corner of my eye, waiting for the inevitable moment in which someone would make the decision to contact me.

Just as I was getting a snack to feed my grumbling tummy, my phone lit up, pinging with the alert of a text. I set the food down and slumped over the phone, tapping to answer the text. The small text bubble popped up on the screen, reading, just simply, my name. “R0se” It was an interesting way of typing, the weird typing pattern reminded me of Kanaya’s letters. “Hello?” I typed back, intent on finding out who had messaged me. Almost immediately, but I could hardly imagine them sitting by their phone, waiting to answer me. “Hell0 it is Aradia”  
So it was Aradia, she seemed nice enough. I don’t know if I was prepared to answer someone like Vriska. “Greetings, Aradia.” I typed back; I hoped this did not turn into an endless stream of hellos and awkward greetings.

“Are y0u free t0night?” She typed back; this girl had some quick fingers. Also, what is up with all these people telling me about events the day they happen? “I guess, if I may ask, why?” I texted back, mentally running a schedule through my head to see if I had anything to do that night. When I found there was nothing, I turned back to the glowing screen of the phone and waited for Aradia’s ‘typing’ speech bubble to disappear.

“Nothing set in st0ne but be at my h0use in ah h0ur” The message popped up on my screen, I squinted my eyes at it. Who invites people to their house but has nothing planned? Before I had even done anything, Aradia had sent her address, it glowed blue as a link. I was about to click it and see if it was anywhere close when there was a fast, impatient rapping on the door. I stumbled over and opened it, finally realizing that someone had been knocking for the past few minutes.

I swung the door open, interrupting whoever had been knock mid swing. It was Feferi, her mouth curved into a surprised expression from the sudden disruption. “Hello?” I said, making the greeting sound like more of a question than a statement. She quickly regained her composure, “I was just wondering if Aradia invited you!” She piped. I nodded, stepping back from my weirdly defensive position leaning out the door. “Do you have a ride?” She asked, instinctively peering into my house over my shoulder. I shrugged, having no idea where my mother was at the moment, probably squealing over things she found in the basement.

Feferi wasted no time in grabbing my wrist and dragging me into the same car that I had rode here a few minutes before. “You’re riding with me.” She declared, and the car started moving. Aradia’s home proved to be quite a bit away, causing about twenty minutes of awkward small talk between Feferi and I. Aradia lived in a house secluded a ways away from any others, and a long, winding dirt driveway twined between trees and over hills.

The tires crunched on the gravel path, and the driver slowed to a stop. Feferi whispered some instructions to him, and he drove off as soon as we had gotten out and slammed the doors behind us. I looked up, Aradia’s house looked like something straight out of a spooky movie. It was made of old wood, and some pieces were rotting and lopsided. Overall it gave off more of a comforting, old feel than a creepy one. Feferi rang the doorbell, and I could hear it echo throughout the house. Aradia rushed over, unlocking the door. She swept her arms back, welcoming us in.

I could hear cheers of raucous laughter in the other room down the hall. I smelled popcorn butter, overtaking all other scents with its freshness. Aradia and Feferi began walking down the hall, effortlessly slipping into casual conversation. I followed awkwardly behind, craning my neck each way to take in each of my surrounding objects. As we entered the room where everyone was gathered, cheers rang out, celebrating our arrival. Aradia gestured for everyone to settle down, and then placed her hands behind her back. “Now, what shall we do today?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Have. Not. Updated. In. Forever.  
> My computer broke and I am so sorry, but i'm here now and I have written!

Gathered around me was a conglomerate of what seemed like a representation of the entire planet. Kids from every ethnicity and body type surrounded me, but somehow they fitted in better with each other than I did. I sat off to the side, scanning the crowd of chattering kids to see if I knew anyone. There was Aradia, who had called out for ideas on how to entertain everyone. Feferi was chatting animatedly with a cranky looking boy in purple.

Vriska and Terezi whispered in each other’s ears, grinning wider with each quiet word. Tavros was chatting with a kid who looked stoned out of his mind, but somehow still able to hold conversation with the stuttering boy. All around me were still people whose names I had no possibility of knowing. Over in the corner, there was Kanaya. She locked eyes with me, and looked like she was about to move towards me when suddenly I was yanked backwards by a rough hand on my shoulder.

I whipped around; the owner of the hand was Dave, the kid I had met at lunch. Next to him was the girl I knew as Jade, and completing the circle was a bucktoothed boy who I didn’t know. “This is John. John, Rose. Rose, John.” Jade completed the introductions. “You got any ideas Rose?” Dave asked, like I had been part of their friend group for years. “Please, Jade was suggesting Just Dance.” John said, sending a pointed look at Jade, who huffed and crossed her arms.

Think, Rose. I didn’t really know any group activities, due to lack of being in a group before. “Hide and Seek in the dark was always fun when I was little.” I suggested, shrugging my shoulders, turning my head to see Kanaya talking with Vriska and Terezi. The three looked at me, mouths slightly agape. Then Jade snorted and John bursts into fits of laughter. I flinched, “Bad idea?” I asked. “No.” John started, interrupted by his childish giggles. “Hide and Seek is the shit, let’s do it.” I was a bit taken back, not expecting my idea to go through. I was starting to really like this group, I concluded, letting a smile stretch across my face.

A few minutes later, while I engaged in conversation with the three kids, each of us learning more about the other ones from the casual talking. Aradia stood up, cupped her hands around her mouth and screeched “TIME’S UP!” A few kids jumped at the sudden interruption, but nonetheless they all shut up.

“Idea time, who’s first?” She asked, looking around the room. Terezi’s hand shot up, nearly clocking Vriska in the face with her raising appendage. “Tere-“ Aradia started, but got cut off by Terezi. “The Nervous Game.” She cackled, and Vriska snickered into her hand beside her. “I don’t think we want to subject Rose to something like that so quickly, don’t wanna scare her off, do we?” Aradia said, earning a couple sniggers from around the group. I sat there and wondered what the hell the Nervous Game was.

“Anyone else.” Aradia stated, once more scanning the faces of the kids. “We could watch a movie.” A kid suggested. “Karkat, we will not always watch a movie, and even though I suspect you have some romcom hidden in your sweater pocket, we watched a movie last time.” Aradia scolded, I watched Karkat slowly slide something back into his sweater pocket, glaring at Aradia. Feferi and the grumpy purple guy were next. “Karaoke!” Feferi piped. “Feferi, Eridan, no. Literally no one here can sing, unless Rose is secretly Taylor Swift no one’s singing.” Aradia said, clearly exhausted from finding ways to turn down everyone’s ideas.

“You guys?” Aradia asked everyone, circling around the room. Tavros and the newly named Gamzee shook their heads. A guy in 3d glasses, a girl in a hat that had cat ears sloppily sewn on, a guy who looked to have lived his life in a weight room, all said no. Aradia turned to look at the four of us, pleading in her eyes. “Rose, say it.” John whispered not that quietly. “I suggested we play Hide and Seek, in the dark.” I said, eyes darting around the room to avoid the embarrassing eye contact. “Wait.” Aradia said, squinting. “That might actually be a good idea.” She said slowly, locking her gaze with mine.

“One god dang minute here.” Terezi says loudly, breaking the silence. “How the hell am I supposed to play hide and seek, you assholes forgot about the blind girl, rude.” She huffs, crossing her arms. I squint at her, tilting my head in confusion. “Do us the honors, sis, Rose is new.” Vriska sneers, one hand on Terezi’s shoulder. Terezi reaches up and slowly grabs hold of her mirrored red glasses. She extracts them from her face, revealing her eyes. Her eyes were milky, color swimming around in a sea of semitransparent white. “I’m mostly blind.” She says, her eyes out of focus, swimming around the room, awkwardly making eye contact with a few people.

“Oh be quiet TZ, you know thith houthe like the back of your hand.” The boy you now knew as Sollux said, struggling with his extreme lisp of hell. “True.” Terezi drawled, contemplating the thought. “Okay, I’ll play.” She said, like her answer had been holding us all back from our lives and that she was now giving us permission to move forward. “Okay, now that all that shit’s settled, let’s g-“ Aradia was once again interrupted.

“One minute!” Feferi piped, standing up. “What if we made this like a get to know you exercise?” Feferi giggled. “Rose is new, so what if she seeks and when she finds each of us, we have to tell her our names and something about ourselves!” She proposed. “FF, your thtudent counthil is thowing.” Sollux said once again, seemed he was always prepared with a sarcastic retort. “Shoosh Sollux, it’ll be fun!” Feferi scolded. She then sat back down, once again letting Aradia take control of the conversation.

“Anyone else?” Aradia asked tentatively, her eyes scanning the crowd, daring others to speak. “No? Ok let’s go.” She concluded, prompting the others to stand up, and prepare for the game. “Rose, count to to sixty, one minute, all that stuff, Feferi made this into a name game so try and find everyone. Apparently this is more fun than awkwardly getting to know each other as we keep weirdly inviting you to things, so let’s go. Also, if you come across a closed door, don’t open it, it’s closed for a reason. Cover your eyes.” Aradia rambled. I slowly raised my hands, covering my eyes with my palms.

“One.” I announced, it was immediately followed by a medley of sounds. Scuffling feet, giggling, whispering, at one point it sounded like someone tripped. A memorable moment was when Terezi started to rant at someone and then what sounded like Vriska telling her to shut up and move. “Two.” More scuffling, considerably less though. This continued for a few more numbers until I was left in silence after thirty. It was quite awkward spouting off the last thirty numbers, with my hands over my eyes, in a silent room.  
“Sixty.” I finished, removing my hands from my eyes. “Ready or not, here I come.” I said in monotone, trying to be sarcastic. I started forward, then was struck by the reminder that I basically had no of the layout of Aradia’s house. I decided I was just going to ‘wing it’ and wander around until I found some of the other kids, who had all disappeared. After a thorough inspection of the basement room I was in, I decided to start wandering through the rest of the residence.

I pushed open the door to the hallway slowly, peering around to see if anyone was hiding behind the hinges. No one. I continued down the long hallway, muting my footsteps the best I could. A little ways down I came across a closet, if I strained my ears enough, I could faintly hear the sound of a video game being played behind the shuttered doors. I gripped the handles, and then whipped them back with a flourish. Inside the closet, sitting on the floor, DS in hand, staring up at me in annoyance was Sollux.  
“Found me, huh?” He asked, closing the screen on his Nintendo. He stood up, long, gangly legs tangling with each other, this guy was all limbs. “Thollxth Captor, I lithsp, isthn’t that exthiting.” He said boredly. “Well, I’m done here, I’m gonna go wait in the theater room again.” He said, before sauntering down the hallway, back into the room we started in. There was one down, fourteen to go.

I was torn between wanting to go home and wanting to continue. I felt awkward, but there was also the thrill of wandering through an unknown area, searching for people. I crept down the hallway once more. I swatted at the arrangements of tall, leafy houseplants to see if I could catch anyone hiding in the foliage. The next open door opened to some sort of laundry room. The tile on the floor was a shiny white. Bins sat around, holding heaps of folded clothing. The dryer churned in the corner, cycling the wet clothes around.  
A snort of laughter perked my ears. I investigated until I found the washing machine pushed away from the wall. I walked around it until I could see behind it. It was Tavros. I poked his shoulder, for he seemed to be preoccupied looking at something else. He jumped, as much as he could behind the washing machine. I blinked, and then attempted a small smile. He laughed, and shifted himself, trying to extract himself from behind the appliance.

“I’m stuck.” He stuttered. I almost smacked my face; I guess I had to help him. I gripped his forearms and he gripped mine, I stepped back, pulling him. He popped free, sprawling on his face against the cold tile, free from his trap. “Thanks.” He smiled. “Tavros Nitram, I, uh, really like, erm, animaIs, I guess.” He got out, I raised an eyebrow, but let him go along. 

I then walked over to where the shy boy had been staring earlier. It was a bin, but unlike the others, this one was filled with unfolded, lumpy laundry. On a whim, I pulled back a few pieces of clothing. What I saw surprised me. Under the mounds of clothing, was the guy I knew as Gamzee, snoring away. The guy had actually fallen asleep in the few minutes it had taken to find him. This guy must be really stoned.

I decided to leave him, not feeling too confident in waking him up. If he woke up, he would found his own way back the others, I decided. I awkwardly left the room, muffling my footsteps until I got to the carpeted floors of the hallway once more.

Suddenly an insistent ringing assaulted my ears. I finally realized it was a fire alarm. The others that I had already found came racing past me; I made the decision to follow them. They bolted out of the house, me on their heels. Seems like most of the others in the house were already outside and others were exiting. Aradia did a head count, making sure everyone was safe.

Then, the front door of the house slammed open, and out stumbled a girl. She coughed; her face was covered in soot. “Damara, do you know what happened?” Aradia asked, walking up to the girl. The girl said something I couldn’t pick up, but then Aradia burst into laughter, holding her sides. Aradia calmed down enough to meander back over to us.  
“Apparently my sister set off the fire alarm while trying to make grilled cheese and study for her Japanese test at the same time.” Aradia explained. “There was no fire.” Some kids sighed in relief, others shot glances at Damara, who I learned was Aradia’s older sister.

A few kids pulled out phones. “Uh-oh, guess I gotta go home.” Tavros said, looking up from the screen of his phone. “Apparently my brother got caught, uh, doing some stuff, and, um, parents gotta make sure I’m okay too.” He explained awkwardly, stepping back away from the group.

He then proceeded to clamber up onto a bike, and ride off down the road. “He’s gotta ride for miles, hope he gets there before dark.” Aradia said, referencing the quickly darkening sky. “He is the only one biking anyways; I live pretty far away from anyone.” She continued.

“Why are we still outside?” Vriska asked impatiently. “Damara went inside to turn the fire alarms off, she should be done, can anyone here the sirens still going?” After the group gave a unanimous shake of their heads no. “Well I guess we can go inside now.” Aradia observed. “It’s like 8:50, why don’t we just spend the last few minutes out here, the fresh air is nice.” A girl named Nepeta said.

A quiet group understanding spread and before I knew it I was lying on my back in the grass of Aradia’s spacious front yard.


End file.
